Kadam tells Modi: ‘Get your facts right, I’m not an outsider’

A day after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate called him an outsider, Vishwajeet Kadam, the Congress candidate from Pune seat, said Modi’s remarks reflected the unease in the BJP in Pune. “When a national leader like Narendra Modi makes a comment about me, it shows that the BJP is really worried about their candidate in Pune. It seems they are finding earth slipping beneath their feet,” said Kadam.

For a good measure, Kadam added, “If Modi is calling me an outsider, I would like to point out that I am 33 years old and of these, I have spent 30 years in Pune. Clearly, he does not know this or has been fed wrong information. I don’t care what Modi says, why should I clarify?”

Kadam also refused to comment on MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s remarks made at a rally in the city recently.

Addressing the rally at SP College on Saturday, Modi had said, “The Congress does not have a candidate locally; they have to bring someone from another district. The party seems to be in a bad shape these elections.” Modi’s comment drew big applause from the crowd which shouted slogans like “Narendra Modi aage bado, hum tumhaare saath hain.”

While the state was facing losses to the tune of Rs 400 crore in electricity, Modi said Gujarat is willing to give power to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, but the Central government has delayed clearance. “I have approached the Prime Minister 30 times in the past eight years and he has not understood the matter,’’ said Modi.

He also hit out against NCP chief Sharad Pawar by stating that he was not able to do anything for the farmers as agriculture minister and not even keep his vote bank intact in the state.

Earlier, Modi attacked Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for “lessening the dignity of the Prime Minister Office (PMO)” after the release of a book by PM’s former media advisor. “We as a democratic country want to know how the Congress government deliberately compromised the dignity of the PMO. But why is the Congress keeping mum?” he had asked.

Giving the example of Gujarat model, he said the development was not because of Modi but good institutional network, decentralised working, good people to head these institutions and good ideas.

He said this was a government, which gave promotions to individuals who have headed states when scams have come out by making oblique references to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit during her term when the Commonwealth Games scam broke out and even after losing elections she was made Kerala governor.

Taking potshots at the Congress-launched schemes of NREGA and Acts such as Food Security Bill, Right to Education and Right To Information, he said they lack teeth and were not applicable to the entire country. “Why is it not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir?” he had asked.